Valentino Rossi rides with less pressure than in Moto GP at Le Mans
As an experienced driver, the Italian knows the Manche track inside out. In his career, the man with the #46 has been confronted with enormous pressure in Moto GP, but he feels less of it in WEC.
We see and hear it. Valentino Rossi knows how to handle the media. In a packed room, the Italian wasn’t really surprised. The press officers of WRT were more so. The media interest around the nine-time motorcycle world champion is growing year by year. Especially since the performances of his BMW are improving with each race.
Pressure has always been something he managed in his career. Even when he had to fight for a world crown, handling clashes with his last rival Marc Marquez… For his second participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the man with #46 doesn’t particularly feel it. He indicates that he drives freely, much more than during his Moto GP days.
A great lap in qualifying
After the test day and the first day of free practice, the BMW driver has made an initial positive assessment. Le Mans is always special. It’s a different weekend. It’s great to drive here because the track is different and very fun, especially with a GT3. These two days have been good.
The highlight of this Wednesday, June 11, was the qualifying session. His teammate Ahmad Al Harthy managed to place the car operated by WRT in first position, securing his ticket for the hyperpole this Thursday evening. « He did an incredible job. » But the Italian believes that his trio was lucky and spoiled. At the end of the session, a red flag was issued, preventing several competitors from dislodging the #46 GT3 from first place.
Vincent Vosse’s team will do their best during the hyperpole at 8 PM. We’re going to try to get into the top eight. We hope to be competitive. However, the driver admits that the result of the qualifiers is not crucial in such a long race, but it can make the job easier.
A good race result in sight?
In terms of performance, Valentino Rossi believes in his chances, especially since the car has improved compared to 2024. We weren’t lucky last year. When we crashed, we were in a great rhythm and could fight for a podium.
The night in Le Mans should make a difference. According to him, cooler temperatures are more suited to the tires, allowing for faster driving. However, the right reference points need to be found. In certain places, it’s really dark. To continue adapting to these conditions, the Italian plans to drive more during the night session this Thursday.
